This May Be A Stupid Question, But...
12-04-2011, 08:10 AM
#21
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Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Manchester, NH
Posts: 701
Originally Posted by Prism99
For FMQ, most quilters use a "hopping" foot that has a spring in it. The foot holds the fabric down while the stitch is being formed, but hops back up in-between stitches so you can move the quilt. There is another type of FMQ foot that doesn't hop, but I've never used that one. As others have said, that one keeps a minimal amount of continual pressure on the sandwich to stop it from popping up when the needle moves up. These feet are usually not expensive at all. Most sewing machines have either a short shank or long shank, and a generic darning foot of the correct shank type is all that is needed.
Oh, and it's not a stupid question at all! The only stupid question is the one that doesn't get asked.
Oh, and it's not a stupid question at all! The only stupid question is the one that doesn't get asked.
12-04-2011, 09:23 AM
#22
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Chapel Hill
Posts: 1,086
Originally Posted by Candace
The foot helps stabilize the fabric as the needle passes through at a high speed. These feet are not "big bucks" so I don't know where you're shopping.
The one I bought for my Bernina Record was around $40.00 at my LQS, so yes, they can be big bucks.
Cheers. K
12-04-2011, 09:33 AM
#23
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 2,943
Originally Posted by Pam H
I did try this once. Besides the fact that it is pretty scary with that bare needle, when the needle raises up it pulls your fabric up. You end up having to hold the fabric down while you are still trying to move it around. It really wasn't pretty.
This is it exactly. Also it is safer ... and much easier to use the proper foot for FMQ.
ali
12-04-2011, 10:29 AM
#24
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Join Date: May 2011
Location: Southeast Wisconsin
Posts: 1,070
I finally took a class in FMQ and this was what worked for me: Presser foot tension to 0, stitch length 0, open toed applique foot (to see where you are going). Feed dogs up. I can now FMQ! The hopping foot drove me crazy but this method works like a dream! The class was taught by a local award winning quilter who quilts all of hers on a domestic machine.
12-04-2011, 12:24 PM
#25
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 493
Thanks everyone for your replies! A lady in my quilters guild let me use an older machine of her's so I could practice FMQ on it. I took it by the shop where she has it serviced and the foot I was told I needed was $38.99! I couldn't afford to pay that even if I actually owned the machine! She did show me how to raise the shank so the foot isn't touching the fabric though, so maybe I can practice a bit using the regular foot?
Donna
Donna
12-04-2011, 01:11 PM
#26
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Western Wisconsin
Posts: 12,930
Originally Posted by DonnaFreak
Thanks everyone for your replies! A lady in my quilters guild let me use an older machine of her's so I could practice FMQ on it. I took it by the shop where she has it serviced and the foot I was told I needed was $38.99! I couldn't afford to pay that even if I actually owned the machine! She did show me how to raise the shank so the foot isn't touching the fabric though, so maybe I can practice a bit using the regular foot?
Donna
Donna
12-05-2011, 04:19 AM
#27
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Australia
Posts: 4,116
Two reasons: The sandwich has a tendency to pull up with the needle as it comes out and you end up with strange tension and stitches. The second reason, so you don't sew/stab your finger, hand or arm.
Some embroiderers don't use a foot - with special care and tension but is is not usually recommended.
Some embroiderers don't use a foot - with special care and tension but is is not usually recommended.
12-05-2011, 04:29 AM
#28
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Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 1,594
Originally Posted by sewmary
I finally took a class in FMQ and this was what worked for me: Presser foot tension to 0, stitch length 0, open toed applique foot (to see where you are going). Feed dogs up. I can now FMQ! The hopping foot drove me crazy but this method works like a dream! The class was taught by a local award winning quilter who quilts all of hers on a domestic machine.
12-05-2011, 07:11 AM
#30
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 811
If you don't want to use a darning foot...you can buy a needle with a spring on it. Any fabric store will have them on the notions wall. It keeps your fabric from hopping up and you can thread paint with it quite well. A rather cheap alternative to an expensive foot. It does take some practice to get the technique right but if you have some experience with free motion the learning curve is short.
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